The government approves inclusion of some more castes and communities in the central list of other backward castes in order to enable the communities to benefit from reservation in central government services and in central education institutions.

The union cabinet Thursday decided to add more castes and communities to the central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The additions to the OBC list would “enable them to avail the benefits of reservation in central government services and posts as well as in central education institutions", an official release issued after the cabinet meeting said. The inclusion of the communities had been recommended by the National Commission for Backward Classes. They belong to the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand and West Bengal and the union terrritories of Andaman and Nicobar islands and Puducherry, the release said. The social justice and empowerment ministry will make the changes in the OBC list, the statement added.